Do this, Not that

For years the general public has been fed information by the mainstream media about having to do aerobic exercise for 45-60mins (otherwise known as steady-state cardio) as the best way to burn fat. But what good personal trainers and strength coaches have known is that interval training and strength training (or combinations of both – known as metabolic strength training) are the best ways to lose body fat.

This type of training is now also scientifically proven. Results of certain studies have been astounding; one in particular showed that interval training lost 900% more fat than an endurance training program. That’s 9 times the amount of subcutaneous fat.

Interval training has not only been shown to be an incredibly effective form of training, but it also allows you to stop performing the boring, mindless treadmill cardio sessions and actually begin to have fun while training!

2. Do: Full body or Upper/Lower splits, Don’t: Bodypart Splits

Efficiency in your training should be a number one priority. Time is a precious commodity and nobody likes having their time wasted. Why, then, would you spend your entire training session performing arm curl variations or calf raises?

What’s going to recruit more muscle fibers? What’s going to burn more calories? If you want to get better results in less time, then perform full body training routines prioritising big compound movements.

3. Do: Core stabilization movements, Don’t: Crunches or Sit-Ups

Performing endless repetitions of a hundred different variations of crunches and sit-ups is not the best way to lose that winter belly. It may even be doing more harm than good. Recent research has shown us that repetitive flexion movements (like crunches and sit-ups) are the exact recipe for spinal disc herniation.

The main function of the ‘abs’ is not trunk flexion, it is to resist movement. The core is not a producer of force, it is a transducer of force.

The final nail in the coffin is that crunches and sit-ups do nothing but reinforce poor posture by bringing the sternum closer to the pelvis. Thus giving you a Neanderthal like posture.

If you want to learn more on this topic, and alternative exercises please come and see me and I can show you some awesome new exercises you’ve probably never seen or heard of!

4. Do: Low-Reps, Don’t: High-Reps

Performing endless repetitions of a weight you can lift upwards of 20 times isn’t doing your goals any favours. This promotes what is called a “skinny-fat” look.

You will lack good muscle tone, of which there are two types: myogenic and neurogenic. These are basically scientific words for muscle hardness: myogenic refers to how your muscles look at rest and neurogenic refers to when contraction takes place.

5. Do: Stay on stable ground when you’re training, Don’t: Use a BOSU or Swiss ball for all your exercises

You will burn less calories. You won’t be able to use nearly as much weight on a BOSU ball as you would on a stable surface performing the same exercise. Burning calories (and hence, fat) is all about progressive resistance/overload (stressing the body, the hormonal response for a set of BOSU ball squats vs. BB/DB/KB squats would be enormously different). BOSU balls are inferior in this regard as they create much less of a metabolic disturbance.

You will actually make yourself weaker. Gaining strength is all about force production. By training on an unstable surface, you’re limiting the amount of force you can generate in any given exercise (you can’t fully recruit muscle fibres). For athletes in particular, this is crucial.

Unstable surface training has, though, been shown in research to be effective at the rehabilitation of ankle injuries.

Wrapping Up

There you have it, five ways to make your training more effective. If you would like to learn more about these techniques, or to apply them into your training to set you on the way to your goals contact me at brad@bodytransformationsforlife.com